Page 38 - OHS, September 2021

PPE: ELECTRICAL SAFETY
to electric vehicle batteries. So, as electrical workers upgrade the grid, install more charging stations and repair more electric vehicles and chargers during regular maintenance schedules, risk for encountering electrical hazards will increase as well.
Although it may seem like electric vehicles are dominating the current dialogue when it comes to electrification, it is not just the auto industry that is trending in this direction. Other industries are making the switch to electrification too. Factories, industrial parks, food processing and manufacturing sites are all increasingly turning to electric alternatives for their energy sources over the coming years.
Powered electrical lines have high voltages which can cause major burns, electric shock and even life-threatening electrocution to workers, making electrical safety in work environments crucial. As more electrical workers go out into the field to meet the growing demand of electric power sources, it is critical they have the right PPE to help keep them safe.
As more electrical workers go out into the field to meet the growing demand of electric power sources, it is critical they have the right PPE to help keep them safe.
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should also be used to protect workers’ feet. A considerable safety hazard that many electrical workers face is called step potential. Step potential is the way in which workers could experience an injury or electrocution by stepping near an energized, grounded object without actually touching the exposed power source on the ground.
To prevent against step potential, electrical workers should be equipped with dielectric footwear to provide high voltage protection and prevent charges from passing through workers’ bodies from the ground. Depending on the electrical job being performed, workers can choose from dielectric boots, intended for users who rely on a single boot for step potential protection, or overboots and overshoes, which are designed to be worn over daily industrial work boots.
Arc Flash Protection. Arc flash events are serious safety hazards that take the form of electrical explosions. There is a popular misconception that arc flash incidents do not happen often, when in fact 2,000 workers are admitted to burn centers for treatment of severe arc flash burns each year.3 These quick, explosive blasts can cause severe damage, including potential blindness or deafness and other hidden fatal injuries such as internal bleeding.
When an arc flash event occurs, it is caused by a short circuit where electricity travels outside of its planned path. Depending on the environment and associated voltage, the temperature of an arc flash can reach 35,000 degrees Fahrenheit—which is up to four times hotter than the sun. This means workers in potential arc flash environments, such as those who operate on electrical panels in buildings, need specialized PPE to prevent them from experiencing substantial consequences.
Arc flash PPE requires head-to-toe solutions. When workers don their PPE ahead of entering an environment with the potential for an arc flash, they need to be wearing protective garments like coats, bib overalls and coveralls made with arc flash resistant materials rated for the work and environment. Head, face and neck protection is critical too. Arc flash hoods are designed to cover the head, face and neck to protect against extreme temperatures and should always be worn in combination
Electrical Safety PPE
Rubber and Leather Gloves and Sleeves. When it comes to workers facing electrical risks, electric shocks and serious injuries most commonly occur when the proper work gloves are not used. There are three main glove categories workers typically rely on for their protection: insulating rubber gloves, leather glove protectors and insulating rubber sleeves.
Insulating rubber gloves are among the most important articles of protection for electrical workers against electrical shock hazards. Electrical insulating equipment is made of materials that block the transmission of electric charges so that no electricity up to a certain voltage can go through the material and rubber is the most commonly used insulator. Insulating rubber gloves comes in different lengths and hand sizes depending on the individual user’s needs and vary based on the level of voltage protection they provide.
When picking gloves for a specific task, workers should know the voltage they expect to encounter and choose the right glove accordingly. Insulating rubber gloves must be rated for the voltage to which a worker will be exposed and marked to indicate their rating. Class 00 refers to gloves that can resist up to 500 V alternating current (AC), are proof tested to 2,500 V AC and 10,000 V direct current (DC). The ratings go through class 4, which provides resistance up to 36,000 V AC and is proof tested to 40,000 V AC and 70,000 V DC.
In addition to insulating rubber gloves, it is necessary to provide a second physical barrier through the use of leather glove protectors to keep workers and their rubber gloves safe from cuts, tears or punctures. Leather glove protectors should never be used alone for protection against electric shock as serious injury or death will result. Even when a leather glove protector is being used, workers should always use the properly rated insulating rubber glove for the voltage being worked on.
Some workers, like utility electrical linemen who install or fix power lines, require additional PPE while on the job. It is highly recommended that they also wear insulating rubber sleeves to provide extended coverage of the arm, from the cuff of insulating rubber gloves to the shoulder. By using a sleeve, protection is enhanced against accidental arm contact with energized conductors and equipment.
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34 Occupational Health & Safety | SEPTEMBER 2021
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